(82) Preceptor Perceptions of Educational Exposure to the Social Determinants of Health – A Pilot Study

Objective : While there has been discussion about how pharmacy schools can incorporate the social determinants of health (SDOH) into curricula, there is little investigation of the educational exposure to SDOH among pharmacist preceptors who graduated before SDOH was added to accreditation standards. The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the educational exposure to SDOH among pharmacist preceptors at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC).

Methods: An electronic survey was sent to active pharmacist preceptors across the state of TN in June 2022. The brief online survey assessed perceptions of respondents’ exposure to the five SDOH domains (Education Access and Quality, HealthCare Access and Quality, Neighborhood and Built Environment, Social and Community Context, and Economic Stability) in their pharmacy education using likert-scale questions. Participants were asked to select the degree to which each domain was emphasized in their didactic, experiential, and post-graduate curricula. Demographic information was analyzed with descriptive statistics.

Results: Of 101 eligible participants, A total of 72 preceptors fully completed the survey (response rate = 71%). Overall, 64% (n=46) of respondents responded ‘no’ when asked if the SDOH were taught in pharmacy school. Of those who did recall learning about the SDOH, each of the 5 domains was reportedly more emphasized in experiential vs didactic education. Overall, preceptors reported that the emphasis SDOH increased along the continuum of learning (from didactic, to experiential and residency training). Out of the SDOH domains, Neighborhood and Built Environment was consistently the least emphasized.

Conclusions: As preceptors are responsible for the experiential education of future pharmacists, it is important to assess understanding and further identify knowledge gaps for preceptor development intervention.